1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to high speed filler lines which are designed to fill cans and bottles and to detect automatically malfunctions in the filling and/or sealing of cans and bottles and to minimize the effect of such malfunctions. Soft drink and beer cans or bottles are typical products which are conveyed into and filled in a carrousel-type filler station, are moved into a sealer station where can lids or bottle tops are applied from where the completed containers with or without labelling are off-conveyed. The filler station typically comprises a series of can-carrying pockets which are positioned with respect to a series of full valves where simultaneous filling of the containers take place. In one form of filler station, manufactured by Crown Cork & Seal, or H & K Co., seventy-two valves are employed with seaming, (e.g., can or bottle top application) taking place downstream at seven positions within the seamer.
2. Prior Art
A system representative of the prior art is that GAMMA 101 System manufactured by F. Justus & Co., Hamburg, W. Germany. It provides a fill height detector for cases or bottles utilizing gamma rays in conjunction with means sensing missing containers and, if installed behind the filler can also indicate or identify the number of a faulty filler device. It can do this latter function due to the fact that each container goes through the filler station in a fill pocket or is otherwise evenly spaced as it exits the filler and arrives at the immediately downstream fill height detector. However, when it is desired to locate the fill height detector more conveniently in the off conveyor after the seamer or capper station, the then uneven spacing of the containers prevents the Justus device from accurately tracking containers back to a faulty valve. The prior art also shows a system where fault signals (high or low fill) from the detector are stored and the container subsequently tracked on the off conveyor to a reject station. Container reject means usable with the invention described herein are also shown.
In light of increased container and product costs and/or the high speed of filling lines, identification of either regularly occurring or intermittent problems in the valves or seamer has become increasingly important and/or difficult.